The present invention relates generally to safety devices for weapons and, more particularly, to a safety holster for preventing the use of a firearm by other than an authorized user of that firearm.
Too many deaths and injuries are caused by unauthorized users gaining access to firearms. In many instances, it is the owner or authorized user of the weapon who is the victim of the shooting. For example, during a struggle between a police officer and a suspect, the suspect may gain control of the police officer""s firearm and use it against the officer. Similarly, an intruder may gain control of a homeowner""s firearm during a burglary and use the firearm against the homeowner. Children also sometimes gain access to firearms and unintentionally injure themselves or others. In order to prevent such tragic consequences, or to at least reduce their incidence, it is desirable to provide some type of safety device to prevent the use of a firearm by anyone other than an authorized user. However, it is also desirable that an authorized user not be prevented from quickly accessing and firing the firearm when necessary in an emergency.
For a number of reasons, many previously known safety devices have proven less than fully satisfactory in preventing unauthorized use of a firearm and/or render the firearm too inaccessible for potential emergency use. For example, typical trigger locks are unwieldy to remove, and are not suited for use when a firearm must be available for immediate access. Many previously known security holsters do not positively lock the firearm in the holster, but instead require that the firearm be pivoted or otherwise manipulated according to a known sequence to enable removal. Such devices may not be completely effective in preventing removal and use of a weapon by an unauthorized user who knows or successfully guesses the manipulation sequence. Other devices require a user to wear a transmitter or bar code on the hand or wrist, which is recognized by the device to permit access to a firearm. Such devices have been found inconvenient as they require a user to wear a glove or transmitter at all times in order to have access to the firearm, and also are not completely effective in preventing removal and use of a weapon by an unauthorized user who obtains access to the transmitter or bar code.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need yet exists for a safety device for preventing unauthorized persons from accessing and using a firearm. A need further exists for such a device that nonetheless allows easy and fast access to a firearm by an authorized user. A need further exists for such a device that allows access to a firearm by an authorized user without the necessity of wearing special clothing or transmitters. It is to the provision of a device meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.
The present invention advantageously prevents access to a firearm by unauthorized users, without significantly impeding immediate access by an authorized user. Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention comprises a safety holster for a firearm, the safety holster having a chamber for receiving at least a portion of a firearm; a retaining member pivotally mounted within the chamber for rotation between a first position for receiving and releasing a portion of the firearm and a second position for engaging a portion of the firearm to prevent removal of the firearm from the holster; locking means selectively operable between a locked position and an unlocked position, for selectively preventing movement of the retaining member from the second position to the first position; and a fingerprint sensor operatively coupled to control the locking means to unlock the locking means upon identification of an authorized user, whereby the retaining member is free to move from the second position to the first position and permit removal of a firearm from the holster.
In another aspect, the present invention is a safety holster for a firearm, the safety holster comprising a lockable retaining member for engaging a portion of a firearm to prevent unauthorized removal of the firearm from the holster; and a fingerprint sensor operatively coupled to unlock the retaining member upon identification of an authorized user.
In still another aspect, the present invention is a safety holster for a firearm, comprising a disk defining a notch, the notch adapted to cooperate with a cooperating portion of the firearm, the disk being rotational between a first position for receiving and releasing the cooperating portion of the firearm into and from the notch, and a second position for engaging the cooperating portion of the firearm within the notch to prevent withdrawal of the firearm from the holster; means for locking the disk in its second position; and means for identifying an authorized user of the firearm and releasing the locking means to permit withdrawal of the firearm from the holster.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is a holster with two (or another number) of pivotal retaining members that cooperate to form tongs that retain a portion of the firearm (such as the trigger guard) within the holster. The retaining members pivot between a first unlocked position and a second locked position. A pivotal lock member has lock arms that engage lock arms of the retaining members to secure the retaining members in the second locked position, thereby securing the firearm in the holster. When the lock member is pivoted to the first unlocked position, the retaining members permit the firearm to be withdrawn from the holster. An actuator such as a rotary or linear solenoid is provided to operate the lock member.
In still another aspect, the present invention is a holster comprising a shell defining a chamber for receiving at least a portion of a firearm, the shell having a top defining a top opening, a forward portion, and a rear portion, the rear portion including a lip projecting beyond the top to restrict unauthorized removal of an ammunition clip from a firearm retained within the holster.
In another aspect, the present invention is a method of preventing unauthorized use of a firearm, comprising placing the firearm within a holster, engaging a retaining member portion of the holster with a cooperating portion of the firearm, scanning a fingerprint of a perspective user of the firearm, comparing the scanned fingerprint with fingerprint information of an authorized user of the firearm, and permitting removal of the firearm from the holster only if the scanned fingerprint matches the fingerprint information of the authorized user.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.